Residence
by MusicRocks807
Summary: Living with someone is very different to being their friend; as the Turtles quickly learn when April moves in. Post-"Karai's Vendetta". Some of the little moments April experiences while living with the Hamato Clan; fluffy drabbles for fun. Nominated for Best Portrayal of a Canon Ally in the TMNT Reader's Choice Awards 2018.
1. The First Night - Donnie & April

**Disclaimer: Don't own TMNT, obviously.**

 **April mentions in Fungus Humongous that she spent weeks living with the Turtles; I thought it would be cool to explore some of the little moments she might have had with them. This is a lil bit introductory, with some Apriltello if you wanna read it like that ;)**

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Her first night with them, April slept on the couch, despite offers of four different beds. She had insisted, and nobody wanted to push her any more than strictly necessary in her turbulent state. So after she was bandaged and sufficiently hopped up on pain medication, the brothers had repurposed as many cushions and blankets as possible then left her be.

Donnie knew she wasn't asleep, though. He had known it already just from the look in her eyes, let alone the multitude of bruises and welts Karai had left behind, but he couldn't help lingering just in case. Maybe if he saw her at rest, he could put his mind to rest, too. Of course, seeing her wincing and hissing with every toss and turn was doing nothing at all to ease him, and that was before she started to cry.

Deciding he couldn't just leave her, he peeked out of the shadows with a cautious, "April?"

The sniffling ceased immediately. He heard her swallow down a shaky breath before she answered. "Don? Why are you still up?"

"It's..." He blushed, feeling awkward. "It's only like nine. We still have to go on our evening patrol."

"...Oh." April cleared her throat. "I... thought it was later. That's probably why I can't sleep, then."

"I mean, I'd say it's probably not the only reason." He moved closer then, stepping fully into the light of the pit. "Are you okay?"

She raised one support-clad arm over the back of the couch with a grunt, displaying a rather half-hearted thumbs up, before letting it flop back down. He chuckled despite himself. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but he thought he heard her giggle too. At least she still had some spirit.

After a long pause, she declared, "I probably shouldn't have kicked you guys out of here."

Donnie shrugged, approaching from behind to lean over the back of the couch. She smiled up at him. "It's okay to want peace and quiet; trust me, I've had fifteen years wishing for it to be this calm."

A genuine laugh this time, one he couldn't possibly have imagined. "Yeah... Not sure I want to be left alone with my thoughts, though."

"That'll wear off," he assured her, but he moved to sit on the nearby armchair anyway.

She gave him a grin, shifting around in the ridiculous blanket cocoon to face him. Perhaps they had gone slightly overboard, but he had to admit she looked adorable buried beneath the mound of tattered blankets. They had much less spare pillows, but she still had three propping her up into almost a sitting position. Noticing his stare, she raised an eyebrow.

He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Uh, we can get you a proper bed soon. With less blankets."

April nodded. "I'd appreciate it." Then her face softened, fell slightly. "I'm… I'm sorry I took it so badly. I'm glad I'm going to get to stay with you guys, it's just…"

"I get it," he murmured. "It's a big change."

"Yeah." She drew her knees up to her chest, then seemed to rethink the action and straightened herself out again. "The pain isn't helping."

"Don't worry, if we see Karai tonight, I'll give her a good smack in the face from you," he promised.

April laughed. "Make sure you break her big, stupid nose."

Donnie laughed along with her, pleased to see her genuinely okay. Her eyes looked tired and her body was painted black and blue, with the occasional burst of red beneath crisp bandages, but at least her soft lips were stretched into a broad smile. He stayed with her for what felt like an eternity, before a very cautious Leo poked his head around the corner. His older brother assessed the scene for a moment and seemingly found it stable, because he cleared his throat and entered the room.

"Uh, Donnie?" Leo cast his eyes over April briefly, tracking her reaction. "We should get going."

"Yeah, okay." He stood up slowly, patting April's shoulder as he did so. "I'll just go grab my gear."

He made his way to the dojo as quickly as possible without outright running, barely paying attention to the equipment he hastily gathered. After whacking himself across the head with his own bo, furiously refusing to rub the affliction, he stumbled back into the pit at record speed. The rest of his brothers were already assembled, Raph and Leo trying to keep their distance while Mikey knelt as close to April as he could. She was rubbing his shoulder gently, a little smile on her face.

"It's okay, Mikey. I'll be fine," she was saying.

Donnie crossed the room with ease, subtly nudging Mikey as he approached. The younger turtle understood the message and begrudgingly stepped aside. He ran a hand over April's head, insisting he was checking for a fever and pretending not to notice her soft, freshly-washed hair beneath his fingers. April seemed to be growing sleepy, but she gave his hand a quick squeeze before he pulled it away. Leo ordered them to move out, and they all did so with a hint of reluctance. It felt like there was going to be some blood spilt tonight.

As his brothers leapt smoothly over the turnstiles, eyes narrowing into white slits in their concentration, Donnie glanced back at the couch. He couldn't see April over the top anymore, but he also couldn't hear any crying. Hoping his attempts at comforting had been successful, he raced to catch up with his team, still imagining red locks flowing through his fingers like water. Maybe it wouldn't be so easy to live with April after all.


	2. Musicals - Mikey & April

**Is this stupid? Yes. Will that stop me posting it? Absolutely not. Since this whole chapter is born purely of fangirling, I obviously don't own any of the musicals mentioned, but I do recommend them all.**

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One thing April hadn't quite anticipated when her extended stay with the Turtles began was the music. The very, very loud music. It was different for all of them: Raph liked heavy metal music; Donnie was a fan of classical; Leo went for emo-teen pop-punk groups; and Mikey listened to upbeat dance songs, with a little bit of rap mixed in occasionally. It was this little bit of rap that led to April making the biggest mistake of her life.

She was messaging a friend from school – a girl called Irma, one of the only people who had actually reached out to April when she came down with her "illness" – when Mikey had come dancing in. He was humming a song that sounded vaguely familiar, slotting odd phrases of rap in every now and then. The little turtle lapped the room a few times, his humming growing less and less consistent, before finally dropping the act and collapsing on the couch beside her.

"Who're you talking to?" He asked eagerly.

Ever since the Chris Bradford incident, none of the Turtles had actually been on social media, but they all took a secret pleasure in listening to April teach them about it. She turned the laptop towards him, pointing at Irma's photograph. "My friend Irma. She thinks I'm still like, deadly ill, and that's why I'm not in school."

"Awwwh, and she's checking up on you?" Mikey's whole face softened in that way only he could manage. When she nodded, he practically squealed, "That's so sweet!"

"It is pretty sweet. Irma's cool." Another message pinged up on the screen, and April was leaning in to read it even before Mikey began clamouring. "Oh, it isn't important. She's just telling me about new merchandise for this musical I like."

"Musical?" Mikey tilted his head.

April blinked. "Oh. It's like a play, but with singing."

Mikey's baby blue eyes widened near-comically. "There are _plays_. With _singing?!_ "

"Yeah? You'd like them, actually." She hurriedly opened Youtube, rattling off a few examples as it loaded. "Hairspray's a classic one – don't tell the guys I like it though. Uhm… Oh, you'd probably really like Wicked; have you heard of the Wizard of Oz?"

He nodded eagerly. "Yeah, we have it on VHS. I didn't like the ending, though."

"Then you definitely need to hear Wicked, I'll get it up in a minute. It's about the Wicked Witch's life."

"Dude, that's so cool!"

If there was one sight April would never get tired of seeing, it was the unadulterated joy and curiosity that only the guys could ever manage. The little turtle was practically bouncing in his seat as April pulled up a few songs. As she had predicted, he fell in love with Wicked within a verse, and he was quickly singing along to Grease Lightning despite not knowing the actual lyrics. After half an hour, April remembered she was supposed to be replying to Irma.

"Oh, hang on a second, Mikey."

She opened the chat and typed a hasty reply. Irma had sent a link to the hoodie she was talking about; a golden one with a black star and the silhouette of a man stood upon it. April smirked; she had mentioned _Hamilton_ to Irma about three times, at most, but she had latched onto it for her. Irma had always been like that, remembering anything April had implied an interest in. It was something she associated with the guys, and it was nice to see it in an ordinary person.

She didn't realise Mikey was still leaning over her shoulder until he spoke. "What's that?"

"It's the logo for another musical," she explained. "Do you know about America's Founding Fathers?"

Mikey frowned. "Are they the guys on the mountain?"

She bit her lip. "Kinda? Some of them are, but not the guy I mean; those were all presidents. Well anyway, one of the Founding Fathers was called Alexander Hamilton, and the musical's about his life. It's… kind of nerdy, but it's cool. It's all sung – or rapped, I guess."

Now Mikey looked interested again. "Rapped?"

"Yeah, they rap about battles and stuff. Hang on." April, having no idea what she was about to let herself in for, pulled up a song and played it.

Admittedly, she hadn't expected him to be enthralled; as much as she enjoyed it, she knew a rap about the Americans winning at Yorktown against the British didn't sound great. Mikey seemed to share this sentiment at first, but gradually, his face began to change. His eyes lit up slightly, and she could see him actually listening to the words instead of just the music. He even began to bob his head. When the song finished, he played it again, then asked why they were fighting. This led to several more songs, and before April knew it, her laptop had moved into Mikey's lap, and she had lost all control. That was okay; she could talk to Irma later, after all.

What rapidly became not okay was how fast he learned the rhythm. And the beat. And the lyrics. The little turtle was hopping around the living room, belting out surprisingly accurate raps of historical events he didn't even know about, long after April finally commandeered the laptop again. It was too late to distract him; Mikey was well and truly hooked. And April had never regretted anything more. She couldn't even escape back home and leave him to his brothers, because she was there 24/7 now. There was nowhere she could hide, nowhere to get away from the songs she had once thought pretty cool.

When a very confused Raph walked in, he was mid-cartwheel squealing, "I'm a general! Wheee!"

The red-banded turtle sent April a look that was equal parts fearful and furious. She chuckled sheepishly. "I may have shown Mikey some musicals…"


	3. Bathroom Schedules - Raph & April

**Inspired by a scene in Poleepkwana's fantastic "TMNT: A Ghost of a Chance", which is honestly one of my favourite stories on this site. Also inspired by how low-key cute Raphril would be, because awwwh.**

* * *

There were some things about the reclusive life the Hamato clan led that were just unquestionable. Stay in the shadows. Waste nothing. Remain vigilant. Keep to the bathroom schedule. Over the years, the brothers had decided (in spite of all their father's warnings to be careful) that the latter was by far the most important. Far too many fights had broken out over showers lasting too long or someone taking the opportunity to finish a comic in peace in there. Finally, Donnie had done what he always did; shouted at them all to get lost for a few hours, and emerged from his lab with the perfect solution. The bathroom schedule had been pinned to the door ever since.

However, somebody wasn't obeying it. It wasn't the first time Raph had noticed this; in fact, the last three mornings in a row, somebody had been in there during his turn. It hadn't bothered him too much at first, as he usually he could just wait until after training, but this morning was urgent. He _needed_ the bathroom. And whichever one of his stupid brothers was taking their sweet time in the shower ( _before_ _training_ , like an idiot) was about to be in serious trouble. Legs pressed together awkwardly, Raph shuffled up to the locked door and slammed an angry green fist against it.

"Hurry up, would ya? It's not your turn in the bathroom!" He snapped.

"I don't have a turn!" yelled a female voice, rather irritably, and Raph realised his mistake.

Uh-oh. He suddenly wished he had paid attention to Splinter's many anger management lessons and kept his big mouth shut for a change. Now he was in for it. April had been wound tight for the last week, going stir-crazy in the confines of the lair. Just yesterday she snapped at Leo for making tea in the last clean mug and he had actually given her a reason to take her rage out on somebody. Fantastic. He was ready for a fight, of course. This was April, the girl who cried at the same movies as Mikey. No matter how furious she was, he could definitely disarm her.

Or so he thought, until she swung the door open. She was stood there, soaking wet, in only a loosely-wrapped towel. Her red hair was plastered to her face, several shades darker than usual, looking incredibly dishevelled and dripping water down her bare arms. Poking out from under the towel were similarly bare legs, coloured slightly pink from the heat of the water. Raph felt his mouth go dry as he watched a droplet trail along her jaw, fall to her chest, and disappear beneath the towel. A pang of sympathy for Donatello rolled through him, along with many other far more complicated and less acceptable feelings. He swallowed firmly, desperately trying to listen to her.

"-and it's not like I chose to be here, Raph!" April was yelling, one arm flung wide while the other held her towel up. "If I could be showering back home and not disrupting your precious bathroom schedule, I absolutely would be, but I don't have a choice!"

Raph couldn't help staring at her, but he at least managed to scrabble together some words, "Then go talk to Don about the schedule!"

She raised one eyebrow, then peered down at her towel. "Right now?"

Briefly, he imagined Donnie's reaction to this scene, and had to stifle a laugh at the image of his little brother stuttering with a copious nosebleed. Then he quickly drew his attention back to the angry girl in front of him, and scoffed. "I think he'd pass out."

April threw a half-hearted punch at him; he blocked it as carefully as possible, both to avoid awakening any of Karai's injuries and to prevent any towel slippage. She seemed unaware of the risk as she slumped against the doorframe, chuckling. "You might be right. How about I finish my shower and then go talk to him?"

"As long as you hurry up," Raph huffed, crossing his arms to possibly distract her from his crossed legs. "Training's in like ten minutes."

"Five minutes, tops."

She grinned cheekily at him, and he rolled his eyes. "Make it three and we have a deal."

"We'll see," she replied with a shrug, before shutting the door in his face.

For a moment, Raph was stunned. Hadn't he been determined to get his way just seconds ago? Had he really been so distracted by pale skin and a towel? He frowned; that was definitely not going to become a thing. One of their team was already smitten with her, nobody needed him to fall, too. Besides, he thought to himself as he waddled towards the lab in search of Donnie, it was just because he was being exposed to her so much. Living with a girl was _weird_. At least the embarrassment had replaced his urgent need to pee.


	4. Glasses - Leo & April

**Inspired by me recently getting glasses. Also I'm posting this in an airport so possible errors ahead, I'm sorry in advance :')**

* * *

 _If x = y - 2, solve the following:_

April hated algebra. Actually, she just hated mathematics in general; especially trig, which she still hadn't got the hang of. Donnie was meant to be tutoring her in it soon, but he was busy doing some last-minute repairs to Raph's Stealth Bike, so she had holed herself up in his room alone for now. Her papers were spread around her, the notebook balanced in her lap, but she had absolutely no idea where to start. This was definitely a downside of being out of school, she thought.

"Hey, Don? Do you have a- Oh." Leo hesitated behind the door he had just flung open, shifting nervously. "Sorry, April."

She smiled. "No worries. What'd you need?"

"Just Donnie's help with... a technology problem..."

Seeing the blush forming on his green skin, April chuckled. "Is it the toaster again?"

As it turned out, Leonardo the Fearless Leader had a longstanding feud with the toaster - and every other appliance in the kitchen, for that matter. There was a little chart on the fridge keeping track of the rather one-sided score; Mikey made sure to update it religiously after every battle, much to his older brother's chagrin. Judging by the look on his face, the chart needed a new tally.

"He'll be done in a minute," she assured him with a wink. "And don't worry, I won't tell Mikey."

"Much appreciated," he laughed, before casting his gaze over her work. "What're you doing?"

"Schoolwork." She scowled at the page as if personally offended. "I hate it."

He wasn't listening, though. The turtle was leaning around the door now, chuckling to himself but struggling to hide it. She tilted her head, confused, and he curled his fingers around his eyes like binoculars. For a second, she thought he might have lost it, but then she understood; Leo had never seen her wear her glasses before.

"What, these?" She rattled the handles. "They're glasses. They help me see."

His own eyes widened, and he traced them almost subconsciously. "So, you can't see without them?"

April shrugged. "Not well. I can see, it's just blurry."

"So..." Leo moved closer cautiously. She gestured for him to sit beside her, and he eagerly obliged. "So how come you've never worn them before?"

"I wear contacts usually." April shifted the papers, more than happy to be distracted for now. "Glasses are a little less practical."

His blush was deepening. Sometimes she forgot how much her surrogate brothers just hadn't been exposed to. "Contacts?"

She pointed to her eyes. "Little lenses that go over your eyes. They're thin and plastic; they do the same thing as glasses, but without all the frame."

Poor Leo looked - for lack of a better word - shell shocked. His hand drifted towards her face, before he immediately thought better of it and recoiled. Giggling, she removed the glasses and handed them to him, with a warning not to damage them. He held them like one would hold a fragile bird with a broken wing, and she had to admit, it was utterly adorable.

"That's so weird…" He breathed.

An explanation formed about her long-sightedness and how these helped, but she decided he was already overwhelmed enough for the time being without all the science. Instead, she offered him a pat on the shoulder and a soft "there, there". Green features sinking into a frown, still as proud a leader as ever, Leo shook her hand off with an amused grunt. Suddenly, an idea hit her.

"Do you want to try them on?" April asked, grinning.

The turtle glanced down at the object with something strangely akin to fear. "Is that okay? Will it mess up my eyes?"

"Nah, it shouldn't." She snatched them from his hands and turned to face him. "They might give you a headache if you leave 'em on too long, but you'll be fine."

He didn't seem entirely sure, but he shifted towards her and let her place the glasses on his face. Issue one: Leo had no ears for the handles to rest on. Issue two: Leo had no nose to hold the glasses up. Issue three: Leo had no idea how glasses worked, and was squirming around in a way that made solving the first two issues almost impossible. In the end, April opted to crawl behind him and simply hold the glasses in place, while he checked his reflection in his T-Phone.

April tried to hide her smirk behind his head. "So, what do you think?"

"I think…" Leo stared hard at the image, one large finger gently stroking the blue frame. April had to admit, it went well with his blue bandana. "I think I like 'em!"

She laughed. "Well awesome, but I am gonna need them back to finish this homework."

"Wait, wait, wait! Let me go show the guys!" He exclaimed, his eyes slipping into their trademarked puppy-dog look. The glasses seemed to help, magnifying his big eyes even more.

April sighed, "Fine…"

"Great!"

With no warning at all, Leo leapt to his feet. She cried out, frantically grabbing the ridge of his shell with one hand at the last minute, the other hand clinging to her poor glasses. It was awkward to tuck her legs around his shell, but sheer panic let her accomplish it as he ran to the door. He almost slammed her against the doorframe in his haste to get out, but didn't hear her chastising him as he began shouting for the others.

Pressing herself as close to his shell as possible, one hand still holding the glasses to his face, April groaned. "This is why I never told you guys!"


	5. Catching a Cold - Splinter & April

**My computer launched an update right as I was finishing the first draft of my novel and my mum has been ill all week, so somehow those combined into this. Writing Splinter is always really difficult for me, so I hope this is okay :)**

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Humans were not made to live in the sewers. April was well aware of this, and had thought about it increasingly since meeting the guys, but it wasn't as if she had another option. Master Splinter had made it clear to her: she wasn't safe topside. So she had resigned herself to life in the sewers with great reluctance, ignoring the pangs of longing she felt for school and her aunt and her life, as well as ignoring some guy called Casey who had started messaging her. Apparently her absence was too suspicious for him; she had sent a message to his sister Angel, a girl who attended extra trigonometry lessons with her, saying he needed to back off. That had been the most annoying part of her week until she began sneezing.

"Are you okay?" Donnie asked, already reaching out to check her forehead for a fever.

She brushed his hand away gently. "I'm fine, Don."

She was quickly proven wrong, of course. The next morning, she awoke in her makeshift bed on the couch with a stuffed nose, sore throat and watery eyes. Every attempt to speak wracked her body with coughs, and although the guys gave it their best efforts to cheer her up, their best efforts turned out to be incredibly irritating. Raph's pats on the back were always a little too hard, Leo's hair-brushing was always a little too rough, Donnie's tucking in was always a little too constricting, and since she couldn't pop to the surface for ingredients, Mikey's soothing soups were always a little... _weird_. Her blessed relief came when they went out for their evening patrol. She still couldn't relax, but at least she could stretch out along the whole couch without hitting a shell.

By the third night of her illness, April had exhausted the lair's decent comics and couldn't bring herself to focus on a film. She was tossing a tennis ball into the air and attempting to catch it when a voice from behind startled her. "April?"

The jolt of surprise sent an ache through her ribcage, but she struggled to hold in the groan. "Hey, Master Splinter. Didn't see you there."

He moved to sit beside her; she relinquished the extra leg room with reluctance. Seeing someone as poised as Master Splinter trying to gracefully sit on a couch did make her feel a little better, though. When he had adjusted his robes, he spoke. "Are you feeling any better?"

She shrugged, opened her mouth to say something neutral, then broke into a coughing fit. When she finally caught her breath again, she cleared her throat and mumbled, "Not exactly."

He hummed in sympathy. "Our home is a special place and a great sanctuary, but unfortunately, it gives illness a lot more strength."

April nodded. "It's not fun. Did-" Another bout of coughing, this time with a sneeze. "Sorry. Did the guys get ill a lot as kids?"

"You have no need to apologise," he assured her. He shifted, clearly trying to get more comfortable; April got the feeling he didn't often sit on the couch, and wondered why he was making the effort for her today. "My boys grew up in these sewers, and their mutation has made them more resilient than the average humans. They adapted quickly. We knew you would not adapt as well, but we had no other choice."

This time, she sighed. "I know, Master Splinter. It just kinda sucks."

"Would you like a cup of tea?" He offered. "It might calm your throat."

She was about to decline, but changed her mind. "Yes, please. Thanks."

The tea was the perfect temperature for drinking; hot enough to soothe her throat but cool enough not to burn it. Herbal teas were another aspect of life in the lair that she had simply grown used to, and now she drank them without a single wince at the taste. She would never have been able to name the tea, but she knew straightaway that Master Splinter had selected it for its healing benefits. Immediately her throat felt a little less raw. Master Splinter stayed at her side, his own cup of tea in hand, but he did not force her to speak - an act she was grateful for, and wished the guys would also adopt. They drained their tea, and he took the cup from her with gentle hands.

He offered her another cup, but she declined. "No thank you, I'm good. That really has helped my throat, though. Thank you."

Master Splinter smiled, laying a hand on her shoulder. "I am glad. It is the least we can do, since you have already lost so much in this change. I am sure losing your voice is the last thing you want."

"It is," she laughed. A sneeze interrupted her, and she blushed. "I hope I don't get you all sick, too."

"You will not," he chuckled. "We have had a lot of time to adjust to these conditions. All we worry about is _your_ health."

She smiled, resisting the urge to sniff. "I'll be fine, don't worry. Thanks for looking after me, and for keeping me company."

He reached for a box of tissues on the table. "Thank you for accepting it; after the boys'... attention, I was not sure you would want it."

Brushing a lock of red hair from her face, she accepted the tissue he held out to her. "They're a little much sometimes, you know? Well of course you know, you raised them, but- Anyway, no, I really do appreciate it. It's nice to be able to relax a bit, though."

"I will mention it to them." Master Splinter was moving towards the kitchen now, teacups in hand. "Now, try to get some rest."

"Hai, sensei," she replied, drawing the blankets closer.

Admittedly, she did feel a lot more comfortable. Her throat hurt less and her head was no longer pounding, so she lay her head down on the pillows and snuggled into the couch. When she began to drift off, knowing how badly she was going to be snoring but feeling too tired to care, she was almost sure she felt someone lay an extra blanket over her.


	6. Drawing - Raph & April

**Am I the only one that loves the headcanon of Raph being a great drawer? Idk why, I just really think it works.**

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She never meant to pry. In fact, April had tried her hardest not to; she knew living with the guys would expose her to secrets she wasn't allowed to see, and she made it as clear as possible that they weren't obligated to share anything they didn't want to. They appreciated it, and although her curiosity nibbled at her, she liked how much they trusted her. She hoped this wouldn't blow that trust.

Normally she wouldn't even have entered Raph's room, but Mikey had been going on and on about that comic for days, and apparently he would be the most forgiving for her. At the time she had doubted it, and now she was certain she would end up in worse shape than the practice dummy hanging in the living room. She had slipped into the room while Raph was doing some extra sparring with Leo, tiptoeing across to the stack of comic books in the corner. Only the set of drums gave her a brief pause, but she knew she wouldn't be able to ask.

It was when she was leaning over the stack, trying to rifle through as subtly as possible for whichever _Fantastic Four Food Groups_ issue Mikey had been after, that she knocked the notebook off. It fell from atop the drums in slow motion, then burst on the floor like a squashed grape. Loose pages flew out and the book itself flopped open. It would have been ruder not to peek, really. So she leaned over, examining the image on the page.

Spike stared back up at her, his head tilted to the side and half a leaf hanging out of his mouth. It was accurate enough to be the real thing, but it was sketched in pencil. Her mouth dropped open of its own accord. It was quite possibly the best drawing she had ever seen. She flicked to the next page and saw Michelangelo from behind, peering over Donatello's shoulder at whatever the genius was sat working on. On the next page Leonardo gazed avidly at Space Heroes on the television, and the one after that had Splinter kneeling in meditation. She was somehow surprised to see herself on the next page, curled up on the tire swing with a textbook in her lap. She was trying to work out when he might have drawn it when someone cleared their throat.

Head snapping up guiltily, April bleated out a desperate, "I can explain!"

Raphael himself stood before her, arms folded over his chest and green eyes burning with anger. "Get out of my room, _now_."

"R-right, yes, I'll… go now…"

She scrambled to her feet a little more clumsily than she would have liked, stumbling as she tried to avoid the stray pieces of paper. Raphael didn't move a muscle as she hurried to the door, but he tensed up completely as she chanced, "For what it's worth though, they're really good."

"Get. Out."

April couldn't help it; she was never any good at shutting up when she really ought to. "Do the others know? Because-"

"Just get lost, okay?" He snapped, before he sighed. "They used to, but as far as they're concerned I stopped years ago. If you've got any sense, you won't say anything."

"If I had any sense I wouldn't have come in," she attempted to joke, but he clearly wasn't buying it. Dropping the act, she slouched against the doorframe. "I'm sorry. I really wasn't trying to snoop, I just knocked it off and…"

"Went through it anyway?" He suggested, his voice cold. "Yeah, totally fine. Not a problem at all."

April winced. "I really am sorry."

"Whatever."

He stepped forward then, beginning to gather the stray sheets. Against her better judgement, April crossed over and knelt beside him. When he turned to glare, she offered him a sheet he had missed. After a moment of consideration, he yanked it from her grasp with a grunt that she could pretend was a "thank you". Once all the pages were safely tucked away within the sketchbook, he levelled his gaze at her.

"What?" He asked.

She shrugged. "I don't want to leave while you're mad."

"Word of advice: best thing to do when I'm mad is get out of my way." He stood abruptly, knocking her out of the way with his shell as he placed the book back on the drum set.

Picking herself up, April groaned, "But I didn't mean to do it! I didn't come in here looking for secret drawings, I just happened to find them! They were on top of a drum set, they weren't exactly locked away!"

Raphael whirled on her then, fists clenched at his sides. "You shouldn't have been in my room in the first place!"

"I was getting a comic for Mikey!" She snapped, knowing she shouldn't really have sold him out like that.

"That's not an excuse!"

His face was changing now, betraying something deeper than fury. He turned his back on her immediately, and she thought it might have been to hide a tear. Raph getting upset was strange territory for her, one she had never ventured into and had never really imagined before. She inched closer cautiously, reaching her hand out to his shoulder before dropping it.

"If it'll make you feel better," she began, her voice small in the space of the room, "you can draw me getting beat up by the Kraang as many times as you want."

He snorted. "Yeah, thinkin' about my friend getting hurt is really gonna help."

This time her hand actually reached his shoulder. "So I've not been taken off your friend list?"

"For this?" If he had eyebrows, he would have been raising one. He seemed to be cheering up. "If I stopped being friends with people over this, Mikey would be my mortal enemy."

She giggled. "He can come get his own comic next time."

Raph retrieved whichever one Mikey had wanted and handed it to her; when she took it, she let her hand linger on his for a second, taking it as a good sign that he didn't shove her away.

"You really are good, you know," she told him sincerely.

He looked uncomfortable, like he wasn't quite sure how to take the compliment. "Uh, thanks, I guess. Don't say anything about it though, okay?"

"Yeah, I promise." April smiled at him. "I also promise never to come back in here without your permission."

"Much appreciated."


	7. Lost - Donnie & April

Donnie was panicking. This wasn't exactly a new occurrence in the Hamato Clan – Donatello had always been the most prone to freaking out, and with the recent and rapid developments in their lives, nobody could really blame him for being a little jumpy sometimes – but this time was a little different. Not because it was about April, you could set a watch to his April freak-outs, but this time it was because she was, quite simply, missing.

They all knew April had been struggling with her confinement in the lair. As much as she loved them all, she was used to life on the surface, with school and friends and neighbours and fresh air. Now, she was limited to one converted ghost station and five mutants. It was a dramatic shift, and nobody other than Mikey had really expected her to take it smoothly. She had managed, of course, but they could tell she was getting more and more agitated. They should have expected something like this to happen.

When they returned from patrol that night, the lair had been April-less for the first time in two weeks. Donnie had immediately flew into a frenzy. Mikey looked like he might have cried; Raph looked like he might have hit him if he did. Leo tried to keep his cool as the leader, pointing out the laptop wedged into the couch cushions and the sweatshirt soaking in the sink after running afoul of a pizza slice; wherever she went, she was clearly intending to come back. But that wasn't good enough, because there were Foot ninja and Kraang droids scouring the whole city for her, and they could have her unconscious before she even realised they were there, and then she'd be captured and they might not rescue her and _how could she be this stupid?_

Deep breaths, in and out. Donnie paused for a moment, leaning against the wall behind him. They had decided to split up after they roused Master Splinter from his meditation and learned he had no idea of her absence. Splinter remained in the lair with Mikey, waiting in case April returned of her own accord. Meanwhile, Donnie and his two eldest brothers had each taken a section of tunnels, desperately hoping she hadn't gone too far. Her T-Phone was turned off, so they couldn't track or contact her. When he finally calmed his heartrate down, Donnie decided he would kill her if she had snuck off to the cinema.

The pounding of blood in his ears was lessening now, and his breath was no longer coming in frantic pants. He could now _hear_ again, ears picking up a faint dripping and the scurrying of a rat through the sewage. They weren't pleasant sounds, but at least the panic was subsiding. Checking his map of the tunnels again, he frowned. Usually he and his brothers could navigate on memory alone, but he thought safe was better than sorry with such high stakes. As he was mulling over this, his T-Phone began to buzz.

 **APRIL:** _Hey D, when r u back from patrol?_

He wasn't sure if that was relief or fury coursing through him, but whatever it was felt better than the raw fear from earlier.

 _Half an hour ago. Where r u?_

At this point, the answer was pointless; he was already running the tracking app, and was preparing to send the coordinates to his brothers. He was storming through the tunnels like a turtle scorned when the next messages came through.

 **APRIL:** _…_

 **APRIL:** _I'm not sure._

No matter how much he loved April – and he did love her, with all of his being – Donnie literally felt his muscles twitch with the urge to smack her. Who wanders off in the sewer, alone, when they're being hunted, and doesn't even keep track of where they're going? He didn't bother answering, as his app told him he was only a few corners away. When he reached her, she was sitting on a concrete block, her knees tucked to her chest and her T-Phone resting atop them. She leapt up when she saw him, though immediately wilted when she saw his face.

"Uh… Hi?" She had an adorable little smile on her face, but it wasn't enough this time.

Donnie folded his arms. "Why did you leave the lair?"

She let her shoulders shrink in on her, suddenly looking very small. "I don't know, okay? I couldn't take it anymore. At least you guys get to go topside; I've been walking round the same four rooms for two whole weeks."

Without missing a beat, even if his heart did, Donnie replied, "We stayed in those rooms for fifteen years straight. We didn't put ourselves in stupid danger."

"I wasn't in danger!" April blurted, though she clearly didn't quite believe it either. "It was dumb, and I shouldn't have done it, and I shouldn't have gotten lost – I _know_ , Don. I just… I just wanted to feel a little more normal again."

The girl slumped back down onto her lump of concrete. Donnie held out for about twenty seconds before he joined her. Mustering as much courage as he could, he let his arm fall around her, and struggled to hold in his sigh of relief when she leaned into him.

"Sorry," she finally mumbled.

He squeezed her a little tighter. "I get it. I really, really get it. Look… it probably won't work, but when we get back I'll talk to Splinter. He might let you go out if you're with all four of us."

The hope sparking in her eyes was instantaneous. "Really? Thanks, Donnie!"

She threw her arms around him with such vigour he almost fell over. Steadying himself with one hand against the wall, he placed the other between her shoulder blades, a smile on his face. "It's fine, I know it sucks. It must be worse when you're not used to living here."

"Living here is fine," she explained, "I just _really_ need a change of scenery."

"Word of advice for the future: sewers are not a good place to find new scenery," he remarked, earning a giggle.

He sent a message to his brothers, telling them they would be back soon, then he led April back through the tunnels. His earlier anger had dissipated now he knew she was okay; without the worry, he saw her viewpoint completely. Hopefully Splinter would be willing to consider his new idea. Although, as his T-Phone began to spasm with all-caps messages, he thought that may be a little too wishful...

Maybe they'd let her go out again within the year.

* * *

 **I swear, I want to write something cheerful and fluffy with these two. I really really do, but somehow it always comes back to feels. One day I'll write something happy for them :')**


	8. Make-Up - Mikey & April

April was never really a huge fan of make-up. She had seen plenty of girls wear it around school, around the city – some doing it well, some less so – but had never really got into it herself. It was only something she ever really dabbled with for special occasions, like school dances or weddings. Other than that, it didn't seem worth the effort it would take for her to actually be good at it.

So of course, when she was selecting the few items she thought she'd need from home, her miniscule make-up kit wasn't too high on the list. As she stared at her face and the spots she could see forming, no doubt from her new living conditions, she began to wish her concealer had, at least. She knew the guys wouldn't care, but she was already feeling vulnerable enough; a nice-looking face definitely wouldn't have hurt.

Remembering that she now had a fixed place in the bathroom schedule and was overstaying her welcome, April hurriedly dressed herself and exited. Michelangelo was slouched against the wall with a handheld console, waiting patiently.

"Hey, sorry Mikey," she sighed, subconsciously rubbing a hand over her face. "Forgot it was your turn."

He shrugged, pausing his game. "No worries, dude. You okay?"

"Yeah." She dropped her hand and folded her arms over her chest. "Just missing some surface stuff."

"Like what?" The turtle had abandoned his game entirely now. He was always willing to listen to her troubles, though she couldn't tell if it was because of his natural care or a burning curiosity for the surface.

Either way, she appreciated it. Allowing herself to slump into the wall beside him, she muttered, "Nothing important, just like… I don't know, make-up, I guess. The kind of thing teenage girls are meant to care about."

Without thinking, Mikey reached for her face, before suddenly pulling his hand away. "Do you wear make-up?"

"Not enough for you to notice," she replied with a chuckle. "I only ever used to wear a little bit, unless it was a special occasion."

Mikey nodded thoughtfully, absorbing the new information. "Karai wears make-up, right?"

"Right." April couldn't keep the bite out of her voice, but Mikey didn't comment on it. "Hers is a lot more elaborate than mine ever was."

"I like yours more," he said softly.

She smiled. "Thanks, Mikey."

His gentle quietness lasted an astonishing thirty more seconds before he declared, "Make-up's so cool though! Have you seen when guys wear it? Or even when girls do the really big designs and stuff and completely change their whole face? I'd love to be able to do that!"

April giggled; she couldn't help it. She was imagining Mikey in full drag queen attire, with a puffy wig and a face full of glamorous make-up, and she knew he would adore every second of it. Maybe the layers of foundation and concealer would even obscure the green a little. An idea was striking her, a delightfully wicked idea that she wasn't sure she would be able to pull off, but she desperately wanted to try.

"Hey," she asked, catching his attention, "I don't suppose you guys have access to face-paint?"

His baby blue eyes lit up like a firework display.

* * *

Now, April had known full well she couldn't exactly send a large, humanoid turtle into Sephora and expect things to go well. But a tiny costume shop run by a dodgy little man who could never find his glasses? Perfect. She had only ever gone into the shop with classmates, in the run-up to Halloween, when anywhere else that sold costumes was getting ridiculously expensive. This guy kept prices down, because he would never make a sale if he didn't.

Mikey had made an excuse to duck out of patrol, and had taken April's money to buy "some cool paints" from the shop. He also, it turned out, found a rather garish pink wig that he happened to fall in love with. April shrugged; she could work with that.

It wasn't her best work. The eyebrows she painted on for him never quite looked right on his peculiarly-shaped head, and of course his face was impossible to contour. She blended the skin-coloured paint as best she could, but there was a still an almost seasick tint of green peeking through. The thick red pout was okay, but he kept licking his lips without realising it. And trying to paint on dramatic eyeliner like Karai's was horrific; Mikey blinked if she was anywhere in the vicinity of his actual eye, and her hand was nowhere near steady enough for the job.

He seemed happy enough when she had finished, though. And she could say with full honesty that it was worth it, if only to see the look of shock on his brothers' faces.

* * *

 **So, my best friend and I saw 'Kinky Boots' last week, and it's been all I can think of. Be grateful I refrained from actually writing Mikey as a drag queen :')**


	9. Crushes - Leo & April

Dressed in her most comfortable pyjamas, April lay bundled in a blanket on the couch, her arms stretched over her head. Leo was selecting a film to watch while Donnie prepared snacks and Mikey went to go find Raph. April was fairly certain they were just going to end up watching some science-fiction thing, though. She massaged her shoulder until it clicked, the last remnant of her injuries from Karai. The bruises down her arms and legs had faded completely, without even a single trace of their yellowing. It was nice to see her skin looking normal again.

Leo glanced over. "Everything alright?"

She nodded. "All good. I think I'm all healed up, _finally_."

"Good," he said, with a little smile. He returned his attention to the television.

"I'm really sorry we didn't save you from her."

April shrugged. "It's okay, you guys had a mission. And anyway, it felt _so_ good throwing her down those stairs."

It was true; as horrific as the memories of the attack were, a little part of her still took glee in the look on Karai's face as she threw her over her shoulder. But the look on Leo's face right now was telling her that she probably shouldn't have said that, so she mumbled an apology.

He shook his head, abandoning his task for now. "It's fine. I know you hate her – the others do, too."

Tugging the blanket closer, April murmured, "But you don't."

"I can't," Leo sighed heavily. "I lo… I, uhm, I like her. A lot. But I don't know why."

"Neither do I," she admitted, "you could do way better. But I understand; you can't help who you have a crush on."

Leo nodded vigorously. "Like Donnie with you…you- Ubisoft! Yeah, Ubisoft." He chuckled nervously. "Don sure does love his Ubisoft."

Deciding it would be less painful for everyone to just let it slide, April forced a smile. "They do make cool games."

"Yes! They do! Exactly. That is why he likes them so much. Yes." The little I'm-a-good-brother pat on the back Leo was mentally giving himself couldn't have been more obvious if he had actually done it.

The laugh burst from April's throat before she could stifle it, but at least it broke the upcoming silence. She shuffled closer to Leo, prodding him with a foot. "Stop diverting, we were having a conversation."

She peered up at him. "What is it, Leo? What do you like about her so much?"

"Uhm…" The turtle coughed awkwardly, his cheeks turning a maroon-like colour as the blush rose in his green skin. "I'm not really sure. I just… like her. I wish we could get her to change sides."

Rolling her shoulder again, April huffed.

"Don't think there's much chance of that." She winced. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Leo sighed. "Shredder's daughter. Why'd I have to fall for Shredder's daughter?"

"Irony?" She suggested half-heartedly.

"The universe is mean like that."

"Yeah…"

Usually so strong, Leo looked utterly broken. She could see the guilt in his eyes, as if Karai's allegiance was somehow his fault. Crawling out of her blanket cocoon, April lay a hand on his shoulder.

"You know, I once had a crush on a guy called Roger- What?" She cut herself off as Leo snorted, frowning indignantly.

"Roger," he echoed, evidently trying to hold back more laughter.

She sighed. "Shut up, I know. He was very hot. Anyway, point being, I had a crush on him, and we went out once. Things went well-"

"Did you kiss?" Leo interrupted, eyes wide.

She tapped the side of her nose with a knowing smirk, then crumbled into her own fit of giggles. "Yeah, but he was bad, way too much tongue. If you ever kiss Karai and get her whole tongue shoved into your mouth at once, that really will be the end of the relationship, I promise."

Face flushed again, Leo managed an, "I'd risk it."

April swatted him on the shoulder playfully. " _Anyway_ , I was still talking. Roger and I had one date, and I thought it went well. I even helped him with the school project he was about to be graded on, since mine was already done. He got a great grade." Lips twisted into a scowl, she mumbled, "And he got a great date the next week, with some blonde girl. Turns out he only wanted me for my science."

Swallowing nervously, Leo nudged her arm. "Your science is impressive, to be fair."

She grinned. "Yeah, until it all gets too Kraang-y for me." After kicking the blanket aside completely, she slumped into Leo's side and said, "Point was, he was using me. But did I still pine after him for a year and a half and doodle his name in all my notebooks? You bet. Love is cruel sometimes."

Slinging his arm around her shoulders, Leo hummed in agreement. "You bet."

With all the chaos in her life now, it was nice to just sit and relax with Leo for a bit. She had missed their little therapy sessions; it was much harder to snatch a moment of privacy to talk about feelings in the lair than it had been on her fire escape. As if to prove her correct, someone cleared their throat in the background.

"Uhm," Donnie was trying to sound casual, balancing three bowls of popcorn and two large bottles of soda somehow, "am I… interrupting?"

"Nah, of course not, Don," she replied with a beaming smile, scooting off Leo to grab the blanket again. "Come sit, we still haven't picked a film."

Still looking slightly suspicious, Donnie shuffled over. Leo leapt to his feet to take two soda bottles and a popcorn bowl, as a peace offering. With all the snacks laid out on the table, they were just about ready to start, as soon as Mikey (and hopefully, Raph) returned. Donatello was now wedged very pointedly between the two, hands folded in his lap in an attempt to appear casual.

April leaned over, a grin tugging at her lips; she just couldn't resist. "So Leo, what were you saying about Ubisoft?"

Donnie frowned. "The games company? Why were you guys talking about a games company?"

She actually thought Leo might have fallen off the couch in the burst of laughter that followed.

* * *

 **So, coming up to the end now, guys. I think there'll be one more chapter with Splinter and then Residence is all done. Thanks for sticking with us for this long :)**

 **Also, I have no idea why Unisoft was the first thing I thought of that started with "you", but let's just go with it :')**


	10. Goodbye - Splinter & April

It was over. April almost couldn't believe it, but it was actually over. The Kraang were defeated - for now, at least, but hopefully for good - and her father was back home. All of the guys made it back, too, but as much as she adored them and was happy to see them in the lair, she couldn't wait to get out of there. She and her father were staying at her aunt's place for a little while, so her father could adjust to normal life again, but at least she would be above ground.

She stayed an extra night for old time's sake, bundled up in blankets with the guys scattered around her, then packed her things the next morning. Her bag was only tiny, but Donnie still offered to carry it for her. The boys were weary and injured though, and despite their enthusiastic offers to walk her and her father home, none of them looked particularly capable of getting off the couch. With a knowing smirk, Splinter told them all to rest.

So April ended up traipsing through the sewer tunnels, her father shivering at her side, with Splinter leading the way. He looked even more imposing in the shadows. She felt bad for her father; she knew Splinter well enough not to be scared, but to someone who had never met the man and had spent months captured by the Kraang? Yeah, Splinter looked a bit frightening. Especially with two swords strapped across his back and a sharp jade cane in his hand.

She squeezed her father's hand, then cleared her throat to speak. "So, Master Splinter, thanks for letting me stay with your family."

"We are your family too," he reminded her, though his voice was softer when he added, "You have been a wonderful houseguest. I know my boys have enjoyed your company."

"I've enjoyed theirs," she replied, with a winning smile.

He chuckled. "But you are pleased to leave?"

"... A little."

Finally, her father laughed. It was very relieving. Splinter either felt the same relief or sensed hers, because he too seemed to relax, his shoulders falling a little and his pace slowing to match theirs.

The sewer smell she had been adapting to over the weeks seemed stronger here, the air rancid. She wrinkled her nose and frowned.

"I won't miss the smell," she grumbled.

"I will admit, I am also not fond of it," Splinter agreed. "You have done remarkably well to bear with it this long."

April smiled, deciding not to mention that she hadn't really had a choice. It had been kind of nice to be part of a big family, even if that family was a bit unorthodox. Her heart thudded painfully. It was going to be weird, falling asleep on a real bed, not a couch covered in old pillows and blankets.

"Are you all right, April?"

Splinter's voice broke her from her thoughts. She realised they were standing beneath a manhole, presumably the one closest to her aunt's apartment. Her father was pressing into her palm, his eyes large and fearful.

She cleared her throat. "Y-yeah, I'm good. Sorry. I was just... thinking."

The man nodded, a solemn expression on his face. "The Kraang are gone now, child, at least for the time being. The Foot are still out there, but they are much less dangerous without their allies. You can relax now."

She huffed. "Can we ever really relax, Master Splinter?"

"I suppose not, but we need to. This life is not an easy one; when there is a hope of relaxation, we must take it." He turned to her father then, extending a hand and then retracting it. "I wish we could have met under more pleasant circumstances, Mr O'Neil, but I am glad to see you are well. Thank you for allowing your daughter to remain in contact with us."

They all knew it had never really been up for debate, but April did appreciate the thought anyway. Her father seemed to as well, because he reached his own hand out towards the rat. Splinter shook it with a hint of a smile.

Then her father's face darkened. "You understand that if anything happens to her, I'm not going to protect you and your... sons, right?"

April winced, but Splinter was nodding again. "I would not expect you to. Believe me, the last thing we want is any harm to come to April. But also believe me when I say that if you choose to reveal myself or any of my sons, she will not be able to protect you."

Her father swallowed the lump in his throat, then gave a single dip of his head. "Okay."

Feeling the awkwardness begin to settle in, April slid between them, giving Splinter a quick hug goodbye. He gently hugged her back, patting her shoulder as he released her.

"You are a brave young woman, April. I hope you know how proud we are of you - all of us." He glanced to her father, who begrudgingly nodded.

"Thank you, Master Splinter." Her eye's were beginning to water, so she turned away and grabbed her father's arm. "I'll see you and the guys soon. Come on Dad, let's get you home."

April took to the ladder first, clambering up it with the ease of experience. Her father followed shakily behind, glancing around the tunnel suspiciously.

"Is..." The ladder shook slightly as he shifted his weight, scanning the darkness. "Is he still here?"

Peering back down, April noticed there was no sign of Splinter anymore. But she wasn't stupid; that man could melt into the shadows faster than Mikey could finish a cheesy pizza.

"Probably," she replied, returning her gaze to the manhole cover above.

She didn't feel unnerved; not only had she been living with Splinter, she also understood him, and knew that he would only be watching to make sure they were safe. She worried her father wouldn't understand that, until he spoke.

"Uhm... Thank you, sir - if you're still here - for looking after my daughter when I couldn't. I still don't agree with the whole kuno- kooney- the whole fighting thing, but you took her in when she had nobody, and I will always be grateful to you for that."

Now April's eyes were far worse than watery. She shifted the manhole cover aside and let light flood the tunnel, knowing she wouldn't catch a single glimpse of the rat if she peered down.

"Let's go, Dad. The street's clear."

April exited first, helping her father scramble out of the little hole. As he was straightening his clothes and anxiously making sure nobody had seen them, April poked her head back down.

"Thanks again, Sensei," she whispered.

There was no response, but she knew he had heard her.

* * *

 **Nice going, Dais. End the story with the two father figure characters you can never actually write for. Good plan. I don't know, it just felt right to end it with April's two father figures. I don't know :')**

 **I hope you liked this chapter though, and this whole story. This is definitely going to be the final chapter. When I first thought of this story, I had the first three chapters in mind - while I'm happy with what else has gone up, I don't want it to get too forced. So we're ending it here.**

 **Thank you for reading :) xxx**


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